Charlotte Lorraine Bradford

Charlotte "Lorraine" Bradford is at rest and free of pain. Born in Las Vegas, New Mexico 84 years ago, she was preceded in death by her parents, Charlotte and Max Velasquez; her husband, Don Bradford; sisters, Adelle Tapp, Flora Salazar and Beatrice Richardson; and brothers, Archie and Bill Velasquez. She is survived by her children, Eric Bradford, Reno, NV and Mary (Gregg) Jacobs, Slidell, LA; sister, Eleanor Tackett, Hayward, CA; brothers, LeRoy (Marsha) Velasquez, Alameda, CA and Bob (Lynette) Velasquez, Alamo, CA; and several nieces and nephews.

Lorraine graduated from Alameda High School, City College of San Francisco, and Providence College of Nursing, Oakland, CA. After marriage to Don Bradford at St. Joseph Church in Alameda and having her two children, she worked several years in hospital nursing then returned to school when the children were in grammar school. Lorraine earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and a Master of Science in Nursing, all from San Jose State University. She had kept her license to practice nursing current even after retirement. Lorraine worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Gerontology at the Palo Alto Veteran's Administration Medical Center before moving to Placerville where she worked a short while for Snowline Hospice.

Among Lorraine's many interests was her passion for finding family roots, which led her to discover 25 ancestors who entered Santa Fe in 1598. She also found that another 35 ancestors entered Santa Fe between 1692 and 1696. Connecting the dots of these colonial ancestors has been a lifelong challenge which has taken her to courthouses, cemeteries, local, federal and state libraries as well as the Latter Day Saints Mormon Library in Salt Lake City many times in the past 30 years.

She has been a life member of the Placerville Friends of the Library, on the board of directors for the El Dorado Community Concert Association, and had memberships in the Shakespeare Club, Fellowship and Newcomers Club, El Dorado Arts Council, St. Patrick's Golden Age Group, Placerville Roots and Gold Dust Genealogy Society, New Mexico Genealogical Society, Genealogical Society of Hispanic America-Southern California Chapter, the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center of New Mexico and identified seven ancestors who donated to the Patriot Cause during the Revolutionary War. In her free time she enjoyed reading, audio books, attending book club and playing games such as bingo, bunco, pinochle, Phase-10 and poker with friends and on the computer.

A memorial celebrating her life will be held at St. Patrick Catholic Church on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, 11:00 a.m., 3109 Sacramento St., Placerville, CA. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Placerville Friends of the Library, 345 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA 95667. Lorraine will be missed by her family and many friends. Arrangements entrusted to Chapel of the Pines.